Archive for the 'Cam Fowler' Tag Under 'Ducks' Category

BOSTON – Some notes, quotes and other musings from the Ducks’ 3-2 overtime win over the Boston Bruins …

-- In reality, the Ducks’ next game on Saturday against the New York Islanders will be the true test to whether they’re really committed to playing grinding, playoff-style hockey but this one game was a start.

The Ducks backed up their tough talk to the media and amongst themselves when it came to ending their loose, risky play as the postseason begins to appear on the horizon. Against a desperate Boston team, they hit (44 of them credit), defended and played smart.

But as it often is, this team revolves around Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. How they go in the playoffs will determine how far they go.

So it was fitting that the two were front and center in the late comeback, with Perry tipping in Getzlaf’s shot with 38.5 seconds left in regulation and Getzlaf pulling out a win with his laser past a partially screened Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask in overtime.

Earle, 14, lives in the suburb of Beverly but has developed an affinity for the Ducks. His favorite players in particular are Corey Perry and Cam Fowler. And here he was on Thursday morning riding to TD Garden with them.

Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Earle not only got to see his team come back beat the host Boston Bruins, 3-2, in person but have lunch with them and get presented with the club's fireman's hat that is handed to the player of the game.

It is often hard to tell who enjoys the visits more. Perry was only happy to help escort around Earle, who was born with cystic fibrosis.

"It was tremendous," Perry said. He’s a great kid. To have him around, the guys were great with him. Everything went smooth. I think he had the time of his life. He’s a quiet kid but he had a few smiles on his face at times."

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Cam Fowler trudged off the Nationwide Arena ice surface after a lengthy bag skate, shedded his sweaty helmet and pads and then put on the bravest face possible.

Long after the majority of his teammates had either jumped on the bus or walked to nearby hotel, Fowler was at his stall and processing the sudden flip of the daily script. One of the Ducks' big-money key players wasn't doing extra skating because he was coming off an injury.

Instead, Fowler was doing so because he was like others who sit out as a healthy scratch. Which is going to be his fate Tuesday night when the Ducks face the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau has long been known to throw a curveball or two and he uncorked a big bender. Surprise, surprise.

"We’ve had conversations," Fowler said. "With the luxury that we have with eight premium NHL defensemen, sometimes something like this is going to happen. It’s on the individual. It's on myself. It's because of my play recently. As hard as it is to say, it’s just the honest truth.

ANAHEIM – Some notes, quotes and other musings from the Ducks’ 4-2 win over Nashville on Sunday night …

-- Sitting winger Pat Maroon for the first time this season as a healthy scratch had the desired effect. Maroon, who didn’t play Friday in Minnesota, used his size to dominate the Predators on the boards and in the corners, with his work keeping possession alive for the Ducks.

Maroon got two third-period assists for his troubles, getting the secondary on Ryan Getzlaf’s goal from Corey Perry and the primary on Cam Fowler’s power-play score.

“When things aren’t going your way like that, I think it’s good for you to sit out when you’re not playing that good,” Maroon said. “For me, I just need to go out there and play physical. Protect pucks and create offense for my linemates.

“I’ve been getting away from that the last 10 games. I wasn’t play good at all. I just got to continue that.”

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Some notes, quotes and other musings from the Ducks’ 4-1 win over Arizona on Tuesday night …

-- Trades often take time to play themselves out before you determine who wins or loses but nothing does more for immediate perception than when an arriving roster player makes an impact early. That does matter when you’re in the win now mode, as the Ducks certainly are.

Six different deals were consummated by General Manager Bob Murray within a week, four of them coming in the final hour of Monday’s trade deadline. And there has been some immediate return.

Jiri Sekac was the first and he’s already shown his speed and skill to go with two assists in four games. Tomas Fleischmann and Simon Despres each had assists in their debuts Tuesday. And defenseman James Wisniewski, the potential biggest piece, hasn’t even hit the ice yet.

Quality must be given up to get quality and the Ducks had to sacrifice the personable and hard-working Ben Lovejoy along with rugged youngster Devante Smith-Pelly. But the Ducks had been looking for an upgrade on Lovejoy for a while and perhaps Smith-Pelly hadn’t come along as much as they hoped.

ANAHEIM – Some notes, quotes and other musings from the Ducks’ 3-0 home loss to Ottawa on Wednesday night …

-- Whatever is being said between the first and second periods within the Ducks’ dressing room, the message isn’t getting through.

The Ducks were decisively outplayed again during the middle stanza and it particularly isn’t a good thing when you’re already down a goal after one. Mika Zibanejad’s rebound goal and the lack of a counter from the home team widened the season disparity to 11 goals in the negative.

It hasn’t always been that way but the second periods have been horrid lately. They’ve been outscored 11-2 over the last six games. They’re 74 goals allowed is the most in the NHL.

ANAHEIM – Some notes, quotes and other musings from the Ducks’ 5-3 home loss to Washington …

-- Winning in Carolina to end a road trip proved to be a win and nothing much else. It surely wasn’t a cure-all for the Ducks.

The energy that was missing on the road returned when they got back to Honda Center. The Ducks were skating once again with some pace and with Washington going with struggling backup Justin Peters in net, they were able to translate that into some early goals.

“We played the start of the game great,” center Ryan Getzlaf said. “The first four shifts of the game, I don’t think the puck was in our zone. We were definitely ready to play. That’s a good sign for our group.”

Now push that aside. The Ducks haven’t gotten rid of other issues that are plaguing them during a 3-5-1 slump. Yes, it can be now qualified as a slump.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Some notes, quotes and other musings from the Ducks’ 4-0 road win over Vancouver at Rogers Arena on Tuesday night …

-- Bruce Boudreau likes a good defensive game. Honest.

His teams in Washington and now Anaheim have had the reputation of being a little lacking on that side of the puck, at least when it comes having one that can win a Stanley Cup. And his attacking, offensive-minded style plays right into that.

Boudreau was also a big-time scorer at that junior and American Hockey League level as a player so that rounds out the perception that he’s all about offense. But he knows that defense will be what helps him shed the label that he can’t win in the playoffs.

A thorough beating administered to the Canucks for their sixth straight victory had the Ducks feeling like they have the capabilities to be a shutdown group. Vancouver had just 17 shots on goal – seven coming in the last two periods – and the Ducks made it an easy night for goalie Frederik Andersen.

ANAHEIM – Some notes, quotes and other musings from the Ducks’ 3-2 overtime win over San Jose on Monday night …

-- It will be a dandy Christmas holiday break for the ones who wear black, orange and gold.

The Ducks head in with an NHL-leading 51 points and an eight-point bulge in the Pacific Division over the second-place Sharks, courtesy of Ryan Kesler’s wicked wrist shot that flew past goalie Antti Niemi.

Not only did the Ducks gain the extra point on the red-hot Sharks but they beat them for the first time in three tries this season and showed again just how resilient they are, rallying back after letting a 1-0 lead get away in the third period.

ANAHEIM -- The Ducks may get a big boost for their Wednesday night matchup against the Kings as Cam Fowler could be back in the lineup after missing a game due to a lower-body injury.

Fowler was forced to sit out Sunday's 2-1 shootout loss to Vancouver after leaving in the third period Friday against Arizona. He did skate Sunday and then took part in the team's practice on Tuesday at Honda Center. A decision on playing will come after the morning skate.

"It was good," Fowler said. "Things feel good. It's an improvement each day here. Hopefully things go as well tomorrow and we'll make a decision when it comes down to it."

Despite the current rash of injuries and illness affecting the Ducks, Coach Bruce Boudreau is in no mood to rush Fowler back into duty and risk aggravating the injury this early in the season. Fowler has a goal and eight assists in 15 games.